Srinagar/June,8: Raising concerns over PDP-BJP government’s intention on Goods and Services Tax (GST), the opposition National Conference (NC) Friday met Governor N N Vohra and sought deferment of Legislative Session till All Party Meet (APM) is held on the issue.
Governor has called special session from June 17 on GST.
Led by working president Omar Abdullah the delegation called on Governor at Raj Bhawan here Friday and apprised him of the party’s fears and apprehensions about the possible and seemingly imminent extension of Constitutional Amendment 101 of the Constitution of India to the State.
The NC said such a plan would have wider and irreversibly adverse ramifications on the State’s fiscal autonomy and will impinge upon the residuary powers enjoyed by the State.
The delegation, on this occasion, submitted a memorandum to Governor and requested him to use his good offices to impress upon the State Government to ensure they don’t take any such arbitrary step which could have far-reaching negative consequences on the residuary powers enjoyed by the State and consequently its fiscal autonomy.
The memorandum present said that the NC wants to expressed grave concern over the possible and seemingly imminent extension of Constitutional Amendment 101 of the Constitution of India to the State of Jammu & Kashmir to facilitate the extension of the Goods and Service Tax to the State.
The Jammu and Kashmir NC fears that the premeditated intent of the State Government towards this goal can have wider and irreversibly adverse ramification on the State’s fiscal autonomy and will impinge upon the residuary powers enjoyed by the State.
The NC strongly feels that since the Constitutional Amendment will cause irreparable damage to the State’s fiscal autonomy and harm the interests and rights of its people, the State
Government should call an APM and have a threadbare discussion the form of the GST regime so as to allay the fears and concerns of the various political parties and put the entire concept in public domain so that there is an open debate with the stakeholders. Such an exercise should be undertaken before rushing to schedule a session of the Legislature which should be accordingly deferred.
The State Government’s clear and apparent intention to implement the GST regime in the State, without due deliberations with stakeholders, amounts to bartering the interests of the State and its people for the political interests of the ruling dispensation.
It further said that incidentally Finance Minister, who today is the strongest votary of GST implementation in Jammu & Kashmir, is on record of having said “Come GST and neither the State Legislature nor the State Cabinet will have a say on J&K Taxation”. In view of such glaring contradictions, the State Government needs to clarify its stand on this crucial and sensitive issue.
We request you to use your good offices to impress upon the State Government to ensure they don’t taken any such arbitrary step which could have far-reaching negative consequences on the residuary powers enjoyed by the State and consequently its fiscal autonomy